LOWER POTTSGROVE — Rick Pennypacker laid it all on the line this week … on his offensive and defensive lines.

Up front, the veteran Pottsgrove coach persisted, is where tonight’s District 1-Class AAA semifinal against visiting Henderson will be decided.

“Henderson has a very big and physical defense, so our offensive line will be facing a huge challenge,” Pennypacker explained. “Their defense is one that could make us look ugly at times, so we just have to play our brand of football. And their offensive line is huge and gets off the ball, too, so we’re a little worried about their size advantage up front.”

The Warriors (8-3) are indeed a bulky bunch who pack a punch on the defensive side of the ball. They’re anchored by 6-foot-2, 320-pound Cam Williams plugged in the middle at nose guard and Matt Eichman and Bryan White aside of him. Their three linebackers — Derek Matonti, Chris Mitten and Adam Weaver — all started on last year’s AAAA qualifier and may actually be the strength of the defense. Spencer Rymiszewski, who some feel is the best cornerback in the entire Ches-Mont League, and safety Phil Mitten headline an equally proficient secondary.

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Together they’ve permitted just one team more than two touchdowns this season. Together they’ve allowed an average of just 214 yards and 8.6 points a game.

“Henderson is one of the best teams we’ve seen this year,” Pennypacker said. “It’s a team that’s right up there with some of the best (Pioneer Athletic Conference) teams we’ve faced. They’re not just big, but they’re physical, fast and play that smash-mouth type of football.

“They also play a tough schedule. They held both Downingtowns to just one score, and both of them were playoff teams. They beat Rustin, another playoff team. So we know Henderson is good and that we’ll have to play our very best game to move on.”

What Pennypacker didn’t talk about, though, was how good his own football team has been this year, too.

Defense is one very big reason why the Falcons are unbeaten (11-0). Up front, they feature Zach Birch (60 tackles), Anthony Pond (50 with four sacks), Patrick Finn (48) and Max Wickward. They get plenty of support from linebackers Jeff Adams (team-high 90 tackles), Nick Brennan (40) and Sene Polamalu (42 with five sacks), and a secondary that includes Michael Fowler (five interceptions), Jalen Mayes, Qwhadir Miller and a now healthy Marquis Barefield.

Together they’ve only permitted two teams more than two touchdowns this season. Together they’ve allowed an average of just 225 yards and 10.5 points a game.

Ironically, both teams go into tonight’s game plus-eight in takeaways, too.

So, at least by the numbers — which also reveal both teams are an identical plus-eight in takeaways — very little separates the Henderson and Pottsgrove defenses.

The offensive numbers aren’t quite as similar, but both the Warriors and Falcons like to run, run and run some more.

Henderson quarterback James Bady has thrown for 477 yards and two touchdowns (along with six interceptions). He can run, but his primary responsibility has been handing off to Rymiszewski (944 yards, 14 TDs), or to rotating fullbacks Matonti and Garrett Girafalco — who led the team in rushing through five games but reportedly has been used sparingly since. Hurt by a noticeable 21 turnovers, Henderson averages only 279 yards and 23.9 points a game.

Those numbers, of course, pale in comparison to Pottsgrove’s norms of 383 yards and 42.4 points a game, which have helped it rise to as high as No. 3 in one statewide ranking.

A good portion of the Falcons’ offense comes from quarterback Tory Hudgins and tailback Mark Dukes, who have run for 1,310 and 1,217 yards, respectively, and a combined 45 touchdowns. Along with Brennan’s production (587 yards) at fullback, the three have accounted for 86 percent of Pottsgrove’s rushing. And Hudgins, for the most part, has responded when called on to throw, completing 27 of 50 attempts for 616 yards and five touchdowns — and not a single pick the last five weeks.

“Henderson is very much like us in that they run the ball well and play good defense,” Pennypacker said. “They’re also well-coached and fundamentally sound.

“We’ll have our hands full with them. We’ll have to control the ball and play great defense. We also need to be solid on special teams and not give them a short field to work with.”

While that may seem like it’s asking a lot, it’s not anything the Falcons are accustomed to hearing from their veteran coach.

“Our kids have played in the (postseason) for years, and winning the first game, like we did last week against Strath Haven, gives them confidence,” Pennypacker explained. “Half the teams in the state playoffs lost last week. We moved on. That’s the key, to win and move on.

“I have full confidence in our kids. They’ve risen up to every challenge we’ve put in front them, and I think they’ll respond (tonight).”

NOTES

Henderson, which dealt Pottsgrove the second-worst defeat (55-0) in the history of its program in that last meeting 25 years ago, leads the series, 13-8-1. ... The two teams played each other every year from 1966 through 1985 when both schools were members of the Ches-Mont League. They also played each other twice (1986-87) in non-league games. … Henderson’s Todd Morton and Pottsgrove’s Jon Klinger are both reliable kickers. … The Warriors are making their third postseason appearance since 2007, when they reached the District 1-AAAA final — losing 19-0 to Ridley — and finished 12-2 overall. They split two games in 2010 and went one-and-out last year. They returned to the AAA bracket this year for the first time since 2008-09. … Pottsgrove needs one victory to break its tie with former member Lansdale Catholic for the most postseason victories by a PAC-10 team. … Prior to tonight’s game, the Pottsgrove Marching Band will be honored for winning the Pennsylvania Cavalcade of Bands State Championship title last weekend in Hershey. Prior to last week’s game, Pottsgrove honored its boys cross country team for winning the PIAA-Class AA state title.